Category Archives: Oil

Last, but not least, say hi to Brianne! Brianne is a MESA and Honors student at Los Medanos College as well as a Student Ambassador. She is studying Environment and Civil Engineering. Brianne grew up with respect for nature. She grew up in Japan, where the culture is strongly connected to nature. She learned how to change her oil from a family friend when she was 18 because she “was eager to learn something new.” Brianne says,”It’s essential to protect nature because it’s a gift. A gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted! Because nature knows how to adapt and preserve even without humans.” She loves to hike and camp in local nature preserves and national parks when she’s not struggling with physics problems. She wants young DIYers to know that change is slow, but every time someone changes their habits we can enjoy Earth’s nature just a little bit more!

Meet Sonia Bustos! Sonia is also a student at Los Medanos College studying Biology. She recycles because she cares about the ecosystem. As a Biology major, she understands the bioethics behind the human intervention. “Bioethics is the moral discernment brought about by advances in Biology and medicine and should be taught in every STEM class,” says Sonia. On days when she isn’t in the lab room, she loves exploring Yosemite National Park and seeing El Capitan. She tries to recycle as much as she can to help the environment. This is one of the main reasons why she learned to change her own oil and recycle the oil and filters. Sonia wants to encourage and inspire children and young adults to be environmentally aware.

Say hi to Manny Pantoja! Manny currently lives in Brentwood and is a current student at Los Medanos College, hoping to transfer to UC Davis in Communications. He is very active in the community as a member of Puente and a Student Ambassador. When asked if he recycled, he replied,” Recycling is a big part of my culture. Not being wasteful and respecting where things come from are values everyone should have towards the environment.” In addition to his parents teaching him to recycle, his high school was also a big factor! Manny was part of Freedom’s leadership program and creating posters takes up a lot of paper, so recycling was a unique factor of the school. Freedom High School took pride in recycling and keeping the community clean. Manny thinks that encouraging others to recycle and recycling is a common courtesy. So for all the young generations out there, listen to Manny and go help your community by recycling!

Meet Carlos Albino! Carlos was born in Peru but lived in Antioch for most of his life. He was a former Honors student at Los Medanos College and is currently studying Engineering at UC Santa Barbara. He considers himself “spontaneous.” His spontaneous nature has taken him through many adventures in California’s national parks where he spent hours hiking. His dad taught him how to change his oil and recycle that used oil at a very young age. On top of saving the planet he says, “I was taught to recycle oil because I was never taught any differently.” However as he got older, he understood the importance of recycling and now thanks his dad for instilling recycling in his everyday life. He wants to let all the other young DIYers out there that the resources and beauty of Earth is limited and it is our duty to protect our home.

Meet one of our young Do-It-Yourselfers, Jerry Gutierrez! Jerry is an Los Medanos College student, involved in the Honors Program and Alpha Gamma Sigma, from Antioch. He considers himself a full-time student and part-time dog owner. But, like a good car owner, he enjoys and takes pride in changing his motor oil! At the age of 17, he learned to change his own car oil, including recycling his used oil and filter, from his father. It was an easy and simple process that requires little time and lots of rags! However an important part of changing oil is recycling. He says, “Recycling is important. If we think more of the health of the environment and the other species that share it, there would be less pollution in the world.” He doesn’t know many young DIYers that change their oil but he loves teaching his friends that want to learn!

One gallon of used oil can foul a million gallons of drinking water. Used oil can contain such contaminants as lead, magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, chlorides, cadmium, and chlorinated compounds. Oil poured down drains or onto the ground can work its way into our ground and surface waters and cause serious pollution. One gallon of used oil can foul a million gallons of drinking water. Federal reports indicate that used motor oil accounts for more than 40 percent of the total oil pollution of our nation’s harbors and waterways.http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/usedoil/info/